19.7.2008
Ambassador
Prasad Kariyawasam, who completes his assignment as Sri
Lanka’s Permanent Representative to the UN, is one
of the most senior and distinguished diplomats in the
country’s foreign service. On the eve of his departure
from New York, Ambassador Prasad Kariyawasam, Permanent
Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations, was
met by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on 17 July. At the
one-on-one meeting where several issues were discussed,
the Secretary-General conveyed his personal best wishes
to President Mahinda Rajapaksa, and his commitment to
work with the Government of Sri Lanka for peace and prosperity
in the country. (United Nations, New York. Photo - Jay
Mandal/ On Assignment)
On
the eve of his departure from New York, Ambassador
Prasad Kariyawasam, Permanent Representative of
Sri Lanka to the United Nations, was met by Secretary-General
Ban Ki-moon on 17 July.At
the one-on-one meeting where several issues were
discussed, the Secretary-General conveyed his personal
best wishes to President Mahinda Rajapaksa, and
his commitment to work with the Government of Sri
Lanka for peace and prosperity in the country. (United
Nations, New York. Photo - Jay Mandal/ On Assignment. |
During
his career in Sri Lanka’s overseas missions, he
acquitted himself handling a variety of political and
socio-economic issues, including human rights, disarmament,
migration, small arms and international trade.
Joining
the Sri Lanka Foreign Service in 1981, he held diplomatic
assignments in Geneva (1983-1987, 2001-2004), Riyadh (1989-1992),
Washington (1995-1998), New Delhi (1998-2001) and New
York (2005-2008).
In
New Delhi, he served as Deputy High Commissioner for Sri
Lanka in India, holding the rank of an Ambassador. In
Geneva, he served as Ambassador and Permanent Representative
of Sri Lanka to the United Nations, while also holding
the positions of Consul General of Sri Lanka to Switzerland,
Personal Representative of the Head of State of Sri Lanka
to the G-15 and concurrently accredited Ambassador of
Sri Lanka to the Holy See in the Vatican.
In
New York, he served as Ambassador and Permanent Representative
of Sri Lanka to the United Nations and was concurrently
accredited as the High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to Jamaica
and The Bahamas, as well as Ambassador of Sri Lanka to
Chile and Colombia.
At
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he had assignments in
the Divisions of United Nations and Non-Aligned Movement
(NAM), Political Affairs, Administration, Economic Affairs
and as the Special Assistant to the Foreign Secretary.
He
also held the post of Director of the South Asia Division
and was the Official Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs in the capacity of Director of Publicity. Prior
to his assignment to New York as Ambassador he held the
position of Director General of the Economic Affairs Division
and served as an Additional Secretary in the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs.
He
has represented Sri Lanka at several international, UN
and Non-Aligned Movement Conferences on various issues
in Geneva, New York, Vienna and in several other venues
in Asia, Europe and America.
Mr.
Kariyawasam was the Alternate Representative of Sri Lanka
at the 53rd, 54th and 55th Sessions of the UN Commission
for Human Rights (CHR) held in Geneva and led the observer
delegation of Sri Lanka to the 57th and 58th Sessions
of CHR. At the 59th Session of the UN Commission on Human
Rights in Geneva, Mr. Kariyawasam was elected as a Vice-Chairperson
and served in the Expanded Bureau of the 59th CHR.
At
the World Conference against Racism held in Durban in
2001, he was elected as the Vice-Chair of the main Committee.
In 2003, he was elected to the UN Committee on the Protection
of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their
Families. At the first inaugural session of the Committee,
he was selected as its Chairperson, the post of which
he held until 2008. Mr. Kariyawasam was also elected as
the Chair of the 2004 sessions of the Chairpersons of
Human Rights Treaty Bodies and Inter-Committee Meetings.
He also served as the Chairperson of the United Nations
Special Committee to Investigate Israel Practices Affecting
the Human Rights of the Palestine People and Other Arabs
of the Occupied Territories from 2005 to 2008.
He
followed the UN Disarmament Fellowship Programme and was
a delegate of Sri Lanka at the UN Conference on Disarmament
in Geneva from 1984 to 1987 and led the Sri Lanka delegation
from 2001 to 2003.
Mr.
Kariyawasam was also appointed as the Special Coordinator
for improved and effective functioning of the Conference
on Disarmament at its Fall Session of 2001 and for the
year 2002. He was a member of the United Nations Panel
of Experts on Small Arms, which produced a report on the
subject to the UN General Assembly in 1997.
He
also served in the UN Group of Governmental Experts on
the Relationship between Disarmament and Development,
which reported to the 2004 UNGA. In July 2006 he presided
over the UN Conference to Review Progress in the Implementation
of the Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate
Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All its
Aspects held in New York. He served as a Vice-Chairperson
of the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations
for the year 2006 and was elected as a Vice President
of the 62nd General Assembly of the United Nations for
the years 2007/2008.
Mr.
Kariyawasam was a member of the Sri Lanka delegation to
the 50th and 60th anniversary Sessions of the United Nations
General Assembly (UNGA) and to the 50th anniversary Sessions
of the annual IMF/World Bank meetings. He was a delegate
to the Legal Committee of the UNGA in 1997 which finalised
the UN Convention for Suppression of Terrorist Bombings.
He
was Sri Lanka's Representative to the First Committee
of the UNGA and a delegate to the UN Ad Hoc Committee
on International Terrorism. Mr. Kariyawasam was elected
as the President of the Council of the International Organization
for Migration for the years 2001-2002 at its 50th anniversary
session.
He
chaired the Global System of Trade Preferences (GSTP)
Committee of Participants in UNCTAD and chaired the UNCTAD
Expert Group on Market Access Issues in Mode 4 (Movement
of Natural Persons to Supply Services) in 2002 –
2003. In the year 2002 he participated at the annual session
of the World Economic Forum held in Davos.
Mr.
Kariyawasam was born on 21st March 1954. He is married
and has a daughter and a son.
Courtesy - Asian
Tribune